You need to install a program on a Mac to be able to use Windows software on the computer. Costco.com has a 15" Alienware computer (just check the specs).
Just remember these: The 1st thing you should look for on the computer surface is A LOGO STICKER FOR NVIDIA OR ATI MOBILITY RADEON just below the keyboard. This SHOWS that the laptop has A DEDICATED GRAPHICS CARD (for AutoCAD & Adobe Photoshop). Diablo III, the game I would love most to play is said to run on 3D graphics & is rumored to need at least 1GB GRAPHICS MEMORY (a lower graphics memory = CHEAPER laptop price), so always check the system requirement specs of the game's packaging (ex. SIMS 3; see if your laptop meets all the requirements).
Next important aspect is the RAM (memory). If you're in designing & you need to ran applications like AutoCAD 2007 or softwares used for editing photos and videos, you have to make sure that the laptop has AT LEAST 2GB DDR2 memory modules in it (the more, the better; DDR3 the fastest and newest type of memory modules that came out last October).
But what makes a computer really run fast? It is it's processor! So if you really want your processor to have computing prowess & for you to be able to run different applications simultaneously, make sure it's AS EFFICIENT AS an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (Centrino 2 is a Core 2 Duo that features power saving capabilities; Quad Core is for gaming fanatics). A Core 2 Duo is like having 2 motors running the computer each independent of the other w/c means for a Quad Core, it's like 4 motors are running the machine (that means it will run faster & more efficient even if its frequency is lower to that of a Core 2 Duo). Intel: Core 2 Duo, Centrino 2, Quad Core & Core i-7 (Core i-5 for desktops only as of now) are all very much faster and better than an Intel: DUAL CORE, PENTIUM, CELERON, ATOM (and their more affordable AMD counterparts). Just make sure that you have AT LEAST 2GHz of speed on your processor. For my computer, I chose an Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB; newest type just came out this Nov) w/c is just the right stuff for the applications I use & games I play.
The average laptop LCD screen size is 15.4". If you want something smaller than that w/ these 3 features I just shed some light on, expect the price to go higher (ex. for 13.3" & 14.1" LCD screens).
The HDD (Hard Disc Drive) should have at least 320GB {I would have loved it if my HP came w/ 2 HDD bays like a Toshiba Satellite A505-S6979: 1st one for a 128GB SSD (Solid State Drive) & a 500GB (72000rpm) 2nd HDD}.
MICROSOFT OFFICE IS AN OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE (so you would need to buy the retail version after the 60-day Free Trial Version that comes with all brand new computers expires, to be able to use the Word, Excel and Power Point applications). Retail version is about $159, but you can get a discounted price of $99 w/ a configured Dell laptop (www.dell.com).
MacBooks, that is on a totally different aspect for Apple has their own OS (Operating System) unlike the common Windows OS (XP, Vista and THE NEWEST WINDOWS 7) that most computers come with.
For the best prices, go to Fry's, CostCo, MicroCenter & BestBuy's web sites for updates & comparison. There are a lot of options & different combinations you can try in customizing your own laptop, just STICK TO THE BARE ESSENTIALS first (www.HP.com). This 15.6" HP laptop I customized & had configured w/ the Intel® Core™ i-7 came to a total amount of $1,455.80 ($136 tax + other sur-charges already included). I chose to pay more to have the newest technology installed so that I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT GETTING OUTDATED WITHIN THE NEXT 11 YRS.
I have used a Dell, a Sony Vaio, a Toshiba and a HP laptop but I've only seen Mac books from the display in Best Buy, and the main point of comparison is the thickness of these notebooks. Now, there are a lot of factors which may contribute to the computer heating up. The 1st and foremost of which is to consider the processor. As we all know, the faster a computer's processor is, the more energy it needs thus the more heat it gives off (Law of Physics). So if a laptop runs on the slower versions of AMDs, Atoms, Celerons or even Pentiums, you don't even notice the heat which is minimal. But if your computer uses the multitasking processors like the Core 2 Duo, Quads or Core i-7s (Core i-5s are currently available in desktops only), then do expect it to give off more heat as you have your computer do more task. I bought a $15 2-fan cooling pad from Fry's Electronics to help suck away the heated air from the bottom air vents of my laptop. FYI, laptop, as the name itself... well, I really don't use it on my lap b'coz sometimes our leg may already be blocking the air vent without our knowledge.